Is alcohol good for you?
For most people, there is little harm in
consuming small amounts of alcohol.
In fact, dozens of studies
from around the world have found that, compared with
abstainers, moderate drinkers have significantly lower risk of
dying from coronary heart disease and a significantly reduced
risk of stroke.
Alcohol apparently protects the heart in two
ways — by boosting artery-clearing "good" HDL cholesterol and
by reducing the risk of blood clots that can trigger a heart
attack.
But what exactly does "moderate" drinking
mean? Total amounts might be smaller than you think. On
average, the benefits outweigh the risks only when women have
no more than one drink a day and men no more than two drinks a day.
A drink is:
Depending on the circumstances, alcohol
problems can result from even moderate drinking, for example
when driving, during pregnancy, or when taking certain
medicines.
Additionally, it is important to weigh the
potential benefits of moderate drinking with the potential
risks of becoming addicted, particularly if many members of
your family have had significant alcohol problems.
For more information:
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